Underground Delight

Just our luck. As truffle prices are soaring once again, Elatia Harris, the official truffle correspondent for 3 Quarks Daily, turns in another bravura ode to the world’s most precious fungus. Now we’re craving some, just as they’re becoming out of reach to all but the most dedicated.

Her first entry delved into the history and sensual pleasures of truffles; this one is more nuts-and-bolts, with a look at truffledom’s “four-footed finders” (cute!) and a long interview with Greg Troughton, a food professional who expounds on topics ranging from the best foods to enjoy truffles with (farm eggs, of course) to the proper method for slicing them. He also explains how to choose and buy yourself a priceless truffle:

I want to see my vendor bring out an airtight sealed mason jar and I want to see the truffles wrapped in dry paper towel[s]—not stored in rice. The truffles should be dry and free of many holes. Broken sides are fine—sometimes that is where the truffle was cut. White truffles should be creamy to slightly yellowish brown depending on the tree from under which they were harvested. Some of the most popular are oak, linden and chestnut. But most important is smell.

With truffled links and even some antique truffle art, you can almost smell the heady truffle aroma as you read this piece.